A family of four in the town of Red River are currently not drinking their well water due to an E. coli positive water test. The family noticed a bad taste and slight discoloration and went through appropriate steps to have the well tested. The brown water was initially reported on Dec. 22 to David Gregorich of Champion Pump and Water Service out of New Franken.

“You don’t realize how much you miss your well until you can’t use it,” the property owner said.

According to the homeowner, who asked not to be named, Gregorich performed a water test and contacted the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that the well had tested positive for E. coli and coliform bacteria. DNR Water Supply Specialist Liz Heinen responded to the call and took official water tests.

The 25-year-old well is located near farmland that has manure spread on it, but DNR tests have not yet concluded whether the E. coli originated from bovine or human sources. The property is located on a former dairy farm on which the land is rented to another local farm.

The Red River family chlorinated the well, on the DNR’s recommendation. Gregorich took another well test after chlorinating and determined the well was no longer positive for E. coli but was still positive for coliform bacteria. The family intends to chlorinate again, but they are still wary about drinking the water.

The DNR also recommended to the family to not use the water for drinking or cooking, but if they wished to use for dishwashing, to add bleach to the water.

According to JaNelle Merry, water supply specialist out of the DNR Green Bay Service Center, the test the department took, called a microbial source tracking (MST) test, will determine if the bacteria found came from cattle or human sources. The results will not be available for another week.

“We cannot make assumptions or determinations until the results are back,” Merry said.

Kewaunee County Public Health were notified by the DNR about the well contamination and were asked to notify neighbors. Working with the Land and Water Department, Public Health Director Cindy Kinnard sent out letters to neighbors alerting them to the situation.

“We informed them that there was a well contaminated with E. coli, and that it doesn’t mean their well has E. coli, but that they should take alert to any foul taste or smell to their water,” Kinnard said in the Health Committee meeting on Jan. 5.

With the help of the Land Information Department, the land around the well was GISed, meaning displayed with a computer system, and 50 neighboring properties were identified within a one-mile radius of the contaminated well.

“Of the 50 letters that went out, three people called our office and two asked for [testing] kits,” Kinnard said.

At this time, the DNR recommends that all wells should be tested once per year, and if homeowners notice a change in their water’s smell or taste to contact the DNR and get their water tested at 1-888-936-7463.